Payback time for Sonsona
By Robbie Pangilinan
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 24 May 2014
It?s payback time for Filipino boxer Marvin Sonsona as he fights Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in a rematch on June 7 at the Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The 10-round title bout for the NABF featherweight (126 pounds) crown is one of the undercards of the Sergio Martinez-Miguel Cotto match.
Four years ago in 2010, the former WBO super flyweight titlist Sonsona (18-1-1, with 15 KOs) lost by knockout just in the fourth round to Vazquez (23-3-1, with 19 KOs) for the WBO super bantamweight crown.
But after the defeat, the 23-year-old southpaw from General Santos City has won four straight victories, including an impressive third-round KO over Akifumi Shimoda in Macau last February.
On the other hand, Vazquez lost to Jorge Arce in 2011 and Nonito Donaire Jr. in 2012. In his last fight in September 2013, he won via unanimous decision over Guillermo Avila.
Sonsona had a career break in 2009 when he defeated Jose Lopez by unanimous decision for the WBO junior bantamweight title. After two months, Sonsona lost his crown on the scales then had a draw with Alejandro Hernandez.
The following year, Sonsona was beaten by Vazquez Jr., a blow he took hard as he settled for tuneup fights against unknown opponents for two years. He took the Shimoda fight on short notice because he needed the money to repair his home.
In just 26 days, he prepared for the fight, sparring a total of 100 rounds, or up to 16 rounds per day, in that short time.
Sonsona is now undergoing rigid preparations in Manila under his trainer Jhun Agrabio at the gym owned by his manager Rajan Yraola.
Marvin Sonsona (R) with the writer.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Robbie Pangilinan.
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